CURIA INNOCENZIANA

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

Palazzo Montecitorio, formerly the seat of the *Curia Innocenziana*. Architects: Bernini, Mattia De Rossi, C. Fontana (1650-94) — Rome.

It may be assisted by one or more vice-officials (v. TRIBUNALE); and also by the other members of the tribunal, namely: the Promoter of Justice (v.), the Defender of the Bond (v.), the notary or actuary (v. NOTAIO), who is not infrequently the same as the chancellor, the curators (v.) and the apparitors.

The diocesan *curia* does not include, although they participate in the governance of the diocese, either the cathedral chapter (v. CAPITOLO) or the college of diocesan consultors (v. CONSULTORI DIOCESANI).

For the history of the diocesan *curia*, see the above-referenced entries.

### III. *CURIA PALATINA*
For this, which is the *curia* of the Palatine Ordinary, see PALATINE, CHIESE e CAPPELLE.

### IV. *CURIA GENERALIZIA*
In many male religious orders (v.), especially clerical ones, the term *curia generalizia* is commonly used to denote the office of the Superior General, together with the religious attached to II.
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BIBL.:** See the bibliography of the individual entries cited above, and also: a) for the Roman *curia*, see also the bibliography under the entry SANTA SEDE; C. J. B. Sigmüller, *Lehrbuch des katholischen Kirchenrechts*, 1st ed., Freiburg in Br. 1934, pp. 531-40; B. Kurtscheid, *Historia iuris canonici*, I, Rome 1941, pp. 243-51; P. Torquebiau, *Curie diocésaine*, in *DDC*, IV, cols. 961-71.

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CURIA INNOCENZIANA

Innocenzo XII, with the apostolic constitution *Romanus Pontifex curae* of 17 September 1692, abolished various privileged jurisdictions and remitted all cases to the ordinary judges. For the convenience of the Roman Curia, he wished to consolidate the various tribunals of Rome into a single building. To this end, he purchased from the Ludovisi family the unfinished structure (begun by Bernini) and some nearby houses, “all situated in the place in Rome called Montecitorio.” He then commissioned the architect Mattia De Rossi to complete the building.

On the ground floor were located the offices and chancelleries of the civil tribunals; on the upper floors were the offices of the Auditor General of the Apostolic Camera, the courts of first instance, the Treasurer General of the Apostolic Camera and their secretariats, as well as the criminal tribunal of the same Auditor General. The offices of the notaries of the aforesaid Auditor were also transferred to this Curia.

In the central loggia, the drawing of the lottery was customarily held every fifteen days. This drawing was restored by Pius VII after his return to Rome following his Napoleonic deportation. The *Curia Innocenziana*, so named from the name of its founder, continued to function with its civil and criminal tribunals until 1848, when the Auditor General of the Apostolic Camera ceased to have his own tribunal and left the *Curia Innocenziana*, which had also served as his residence. The Treasurer General met with the same fate. New occupants and new offices more suited to the times succeeded them in the *Curia Innocenziana*. Monsignor Director General of Police, having obtained ministerial rank and also the office of Vice-Camerlengo, was granted residence in the *Curia Innocenziana* together with the seat of his offices. The same occurred in 1853 for the Minister of the Interior and for the Dicastery of Grace and Justice. It has been the seat of Parliament since 27 November 1871.

BIBL.:** C. B. Piazza, *Eusevolgio romano*, Rome 1698, treatise 2nd, ch. 11; G. Moroni, *Curia romana*, in *Dizionario*, XIX, pp. 43 and 44; id., *Uditore generale della Rev. Cam. ap.*, ibid., LXXXII, p. 178.